roke down and got IPad 2 - what to do with IPhone?

[Issy]

Hi everyone,

First post! - be gentle

I have an IPhone........3gs - got it 2 years ago and my contract expires this month. Though I use the data feature, I've less than 100 minutes used for cell calls in 2 years. (I know I know............

anyway, I was thinking about what to do - I wanted an IPad (though I have a Toshiba Thrive 32gig that I love but it's wifi only) - and get 3G and get a $25.00 contract (2 gig data - month by month - just in case it doesn't work out as I want it to - At&T but Verizon offers the same deal???) . Then I won't need my Iphone and can get a prepaid for $100.00 a year which will still go over my limit of less than 100 minutes in 2 years! LOL ............

Now I'm in a pickle and can't figure out what to do. And I'm impulsive as you might guess from my purchases.

I love the thrive with the full usb and hdmi and full size sd card - I'm a photobug and carry cameras with me all the time and it's handy to go thru the photos on a larger screen. Need a pc with Itunes with the IPad to transfer back and forth (truthfully that annoys me but there ARE things I wanted an IPad for.

Back to my prickly situation: The IPad 2 can't be a hotspot so I've read. But the IPhone can? But I want to shut it off and save that bill each month and just pay the $25.00 data plan.

Now, is there any way I can still use the Iphone? Any way I can connect any of this mess to the Thrive when I'm away from a wifi connection?

I don't know why I do these things and then expect other's to help me put the pieces together LOL - but from what I've heard there are quite a few experts here!

As far as 'jailbreaking' and 'rooting' or anything, I'm pretty much a coward when it comes to that - the closest I get is still pay with debug on my computers

thanks to anyone who even attempts to answer this - even if I'm told I bought all the wrong equipment and to return everything LOL

thanks,
Issy

 

[leelai]

Hi Issy and welcome to the Forum!

Loved reading your intro, but I won't be tackling your very interesting dilemma, I'll leave that to a member more knowledgeable of these issues.

The IPad Forum is a community of members from all walks of life and from all over the world coming together to share our experiences and to help each other learn about this wonderful piece of technology the Ipad. There is a wealth of information already here in the many threads we have so doing some searches will answer most of the questions you have. If then you cannot find the answer you are seeking then by all means post your question. There are many friendly and informed members here only too willing to help you.

We also have our own App - It is a very simple app to navigate.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/discussion-forum-for-ipad/id412896524?mt=8
Reading the IPad manual is a great place to start so please download a copy of these.
http://www.support.apple.com/manuals/ipad/
A very informative thread from which you will learn many tips and shortcuts for the IPad.
http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-general-discussions/21590-tips-tricks-those-us-who-dont-know.html
We have rules like any Community so please read these also
http://www.ipadforums.net/forum-rul...um-rules-everybody-please-read.html#post14697

Once again we welcome you here and are so pleased you have joined us!

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[wxman2003]

If you dont use the phone much, then just get a non contract phone, and get the 3g AT&T ipad version. AT&T has best speeds. I have a verizon iphone 4 and an ATT 3g ipad 2. Verizon speeds are terrible and i am lucky to get download speeds of 1 to 1.5 Mbs while the ipad gets 3 to 5 Mbs download speeds. They do have camera adaptors for the ipad so you can transfer pictures right to the ipad.

 

[jsh1120]

If you dont use the phone much, then just get a non contract phone, and get the 3g AT&T ipad version. AT&T has best speeds. I have a verizon iphone 4 and an ATT 3g ipad 2. Verizon speeds are terrible and i am lucky to get download speeds of 1 to 1.5 Mbs while the ipad gets 3 to 5 Mbs download speeds. They do have camera adaptors for the ipad so you can transfer pictures right to the ipad.

That might be the case in Sioux Falls, but generalizations about carrier speeds is very risky. They vary tremendously across locations. My personal experience with Verizon vs AT&T in the Seattle area, for example, is exactly the opposite of the claim that AT&T is faster than Verizon.

As far as the "best" strategy for an iPad and smartphone combination, that, too, is dependent on one's personal preferences and budget. For example, with my wifi only iPad and a 4G/LTE hotspot from Verizon I routinely get download speeds of 6-10 mbs on my iPad. Furthermore, the new 4G/LTE phones from Verizon (Android) can be tethered to the iPad to provide similar speeds. (AT&T's 4G/LTE network promises similar performance but the number of phones and 4G coverage is much, much less than Verizon at the present time. That is likely to change in another year, or so.)

The 3G iPad is a good choice from a simplicity standpoint, especially if you use 3G rarely. But if you expect to use the cell network for more than internet browsing and email and you expect to use it more than once a month, the monthly charges combined with the premium price for the 3G iPad quickly diminishes or eliminates the cost advantage. Furthermore, one will never be able to take advantage of 4G speeds on a 3G iPad. (Hardware limitation.)

I find that a "mifi" mobile hotspot works best for me because I can use it for up to five devices (phone, iPad, laptop) simultaneously with performance that is far, far better than 3G in areas where I travel. And I have a ceiling of 5 gigs per month enabling me to use the hotspot for streaming audio and video without exceeding that limit. And I don't have a data plan for the iPad or the additional $130 to purchase it in the first place. On the other hand, I pay $50 per month on contract for all this convenience.

 

[Wolfpuppies3]

My iPhone is my hotspot

and allows connecting five devices as well. AT&T is, as all the national studies clearly show, a far faster data (but not telephone) service. Between having a 3G/wifi iPad2 and having a hotspot in my phone, I have service covered every which way but loose.